Medium Format Ultralight Hiking Kit

[rdeloe]

As you may have guessed from the Fun with MF images thread, I now tried out my new hiking kit.

Tripod
I didn't have the new-to-me Gitzo G0057 with me but an older Gitzo G0012 which has 39cm working height and weighs 520g incl. Leofoto LH25 head. The tripod was too low for me. While shooting low is okay, I often had vegetation on the pictures. Better to have a small tripod than now tripod though: for Panorama's I found it very helpful.

Camera & lens
The GFX50R + GF50mm performed beautifullys. It is a little long for my taste, I would prefer very much a 28mm full frame equivalent, but one can get used to it. When just shooting with one lens I adapted quickly, but whenever I took out my Ricoh GR (which has 28mm full frame equivalent), I found that composition gets a lot easier. The GFX kit is quite lightweight, but consumes a lot of battery power. On average, I needed one battery per day, so I always carried one spare battery with me. On day hikes this is not a problem, on longer hikes it may become problematic.

The tripod was needed a lot less than with my IQ160 back as the GFX50r can be used up to ISO 800 with quite good results. This allowed me to shoot handheld most of the time - a new medium format experience for me! I used the GFX50r a lot and quite like it.

I'm lacking a lens hood for the GF 50mm. Is the original one the best choice, or are there better aftermarket solutions?

On another day, I took my Rolleiflex 3.5C with me. We need to wait for the results as I shot color slide film that needs to be developed first. The 3.5C has a quite dim ground glass which is a bit limiting and which I'd need to replace (I did that with my other 3.5C and the difference is huge). The Rolleiflex has just a 3/8" UNC tripod screw thread. My quick release plate had a 1/4" thread, and the combination of the smaller screw and an adapter ring was not a good one, as I never got things as tight as I wanted them to be. The Rolleiflex is a joy to shoot and it's 75mm Xenotar lens is approx. 50mm full frame equivalent, a focal length that I really like. I used 1-2 films per day.

If anyone has a hint where to find a small quick release plate with 3/8" screw, that would be most appreciated!

Sounds like you've made some great choices that are working well!

Have you considered a reducer bushing? It has 3/8" thread on the outside and 1/4 on the inside. It threads into the 3/8 hole and gives you a nice snug 1/4 threaded hole.

 

[anyone]

Have you considered a reducer bushing? It has 3/8" thread on the outside and 1/4 on the inside. It threads into the 3/8 hole and gives you a nice snug 1/4 threaded hole.

Thank you! I’m rather happy with the setup, although I miss the manual workflow of my 500c/m.

I tried that (it is the adapter ring I mentioned), but it doesn’t work well with a quick release plate, therefore the quest to find one with 3/8” thread.

 

[Geoff]

RRS make some w ⅜ thread.

 

[dchew]

Here is a short rail with 3/8” I’ve used before as a generic camera plate.
RRS Generic Rail

Like Rob, I’m curious what specifically was wrong with the 3/8-1/4 bushing. I’ve been using them for 10+ years on my Alpa bodies to attach quick release plates with no issues. I don’t ever remember having to tighten them in the field.

Dave

 

[anyone]

Like Rob, I’m curious what specifically was wrong with the 3/8-1/4 bushing. I’ve been using them for 10+ years on my Alpa bodies to attach quick release plates with no issues. I don’t ever remember having to tighten them in the field.

I just couldn't get everything tight enough. I screwed the 3/8-1/4 bushing into the Rolleiflex. The 3/8-1/4 bushing is a tad too long for the Rolleiflex thread. The quick release plate therefore does not press against a large surface area, but only the small adapter. When attaching the camera + quick release plate to the tripod, the quick release plate starts to turn. When I want to tighten it, I only tighten the connection between quick release plate and 3/8-1/4 bushing. It only gets worse as you need to always remove the quick release plate when loading a new film.

A bit complicated to explain, but with a quick release plate that would fit natively to the Rolleiflex 3/8" thread the problem would be gone.

 

[ThdeDude]

If anyone has a hint where to find a small quick release plate with 3/8" screw, that would be most appreciated!

"but with a quick release plate that would fit natively to the Rolleiflex 3/8" thread the problem would be gone"

Amazon and eBay offer a large number of quick release plate with 3/8" screw. I would just order a few that look promising and return the rest. (On Ebay check first whether returns are possible.)

Have you considered using a Rolleifix (looks heavy!). At eBay for $99, https://tinyurl.com/bdfyth2a

 

[anyone]

Amazon and eBay offer a large number of quick release plate with 3/8" screw. I would just order a few that look promising and return the rest. (On Ebay check first whether returns are possible.)

Have you considered using a Rolleifix (looks heavy!). At eBay for $99, https://tinyurl.com/bdfyth2a

The quick release plates I found that have the 3/8" screw are all large. Small quick release plates come typically with the smaller screw. The RRS plates mentioned above are also a bit on the large side, but may work. RRS is hard to source in Europe though and rather expensive, but in the worst case I'll go for it. Funny that such a common item can be an issue!

I considered the Rolleifix but it may be too specialised. It looks heavy, is expensive, and it does not fit any other camera than the Rolleiflex.

 

[dchew]

The 3/8-1/4 bushing is a tad too long for the Rolleiflex thread.

Ah. Yes, that explains it. That wouldn’t work at all. I assume the Rolleiflex threads are shorter than normal but just in case, my adapters measure just under 5/16” long. If yours are longer I can ship you one. I have several spares.
Dave.

 

[ThdeDude]

The quick release plates I found that have the 3/8" screw are all large.

Get a machinist to size down the quick release plate to the size desired.

 

[TechTalk]

The quick release plates I found that have the 3/8" screw are all large. Small quick release plates come typically with the smaller screw. The RRS plates mentioned above are also a bit on the large side, but may work. RRS is hard to source in Europe though and rather expensive, but in the worst case I'll go for it. Funny that such a common item can be an issue!

I considered the Rolleifix but it may be too specialised. It looks heavy, is expensive, and it does not fit any other camera than the Rolleiflex.

Rollei TLR cameras use a very short 4.5 mm thread depth. There have been special reducing bushings made for their shallow thread.

There are a small quantity currently available on eBay.

 

[rdeloe]

Rollei TLR cameras use a very short 4.5 mm thread depth. There have been special reducing bushings made for their shallow thread.

There are a small quantity currently available on eBay.

That guy makes all kinds of bits and pieces for large format and medium format cameras. I purchased custom bellows and lens boards from him years ago.

 

[TechTalk]

I just noticed that the same seller has another eBay listing for the same item. Another Hong Kong seller also lists the reducing bushing for Rolleiflex. They all appear to be the same and use the same illustration photos.

 

[rdeloe]

I just noticed that the same seller has another eBay listing for the same item. Another Hong Kong seller also lists the reducing bushing for Rolleiflex. They all appear to be the same and use the same illustration photos.

There are several sellers that operate multiple accounts. That's one of them. It seems to make business sense for some reason...

 

[RobbieAB]

Arca-Swiss appear to have some deliciously expensive pieces of metal with 3/8 threads, which should be relatively easy to source in Europe (arca-shop.de being German, obviously).

 

[Pieter 12]

The Rolleifix is really the preferred way to go for a Rollei TLR. The base of the camera can flex and distort when attached to a tripod, the Rolleifix makes the attachment stronger and adds a bit of protection to the base. It doesn't weigh much and can be found for a reasonable price second-hand, especially when compared to some QR plates from RRS or Arca Swiss.

 

[Bill_Evans]

Wow! This is an excellent thread. And an effort I seem to get into at the beginning of every hiking season. I've backpacked with a few different systems but I think my favorite so far was the X1D and Xpan lenses. Recently I've been shooting more film so this year's setup in my Hassy 903 SWC.



Total weight is 6.4 lbs or 2.9 kg.

This setup includes the 903, 6 rolls of film, camera strap and 3 B60 filters, a cable release and camera strap. My tripod is a Gitzo GT0545TUS and the head is an RRS BPC-16 Micro Panning Ball Head. The bag / pouch / holster is a Hyperlite Mountain Gear Large Camera Pod. I also lean heavily on the ultralight backpacking crowd so I can cary better gear.

This is a reasonably accurate list of my backpacking gear for an upcoming 4 night trip to Stehekin. Doesn't include food or fuel. I need to add spare clothing to the list but I'm currently looking at 17 lbs and a bit less than 8 kg.



One of my inspirations for backpacking is photography so I kind of hate to sacrifice gear. I'll tough it out in other areas.

 

[anyone]

Wow! This is an excellent thread. And an effort I seem to get into at the beginning of every hiking season. I've backpacked with a few different systems but I think my favorite so far was the X1D and Xpan lenses. Recently I've been shooting more film so this year's setup in my Hassy 903 SWC.

View attachment 194903 View attachment 194904

Total weight is 6.4 lbs or 2.9 kg.

This setup includes the 903, 6 rolls of film, camera strap and 3 B60 filters, a cable release and camera strap. My tripod is a Gitzo GT0545TUS and the head is an RRS BPC-16 Micro Panning Ball Head. The bag / pouch / holster is a Hyperlite Mountain Gear Large Camera Pod. I also lean heavily on the ultralight backpacking crowd so I can cary better gear.

This is a reasonably accurate list of my backpacking gear for an upcoming 4 night trip to Stehekin. Doesn't include food or fuel. I need to add spare clothing to the list but I'm currently looking at 17 lbs and a bit less than 8 kg.

View attachment 194905

One of my inspirations for backpacking is photography so I kind of hate to sacrifice gear. I'll tough it out in other areas.

Nice equipment list! I see you are going into the extreme weight saving direction. How do you like the Uberlite Therm-a-Rest? Is it worthwhile? I also want to upgrade my sleeping pad, but was more looking into the Neoair Xlite so far, as people reported that the UberLite is very fragile.

In the end, UL packing lists end up quite similar, but still have a lot of individual choices. For example, I skip the alcohol stove and go for a small gas stove and choose to bring extra clothes to be on the safe side. I'm seriously impressed by your backpack and tent/ tarp weight. Inspiring! I take a bivy bag for weight reasons, but it's a compromise. A tent is much nicer.

The SWC is a very good choice for backpacking, I carried it for several trips. Reliable, amazing quality. When hiking, I use color film to save the filter weight.

A small update from my side: I now am familiarizing myself with the GFX50r + GF50mm. For four days of occassional shooting I need two batteries. The tripod remains to be a compromise. The Gitzo G0057 I use is quite low, but most of the times reasonably stable. With a lot of wind it's not sturdy enough.

 

[Bill_Evans]

Nice equipment list! I see you are going into the extreme weight saving direction. How do you like the Uberlite Therm-a-Rest? Is it worthwhile? I also want to upgrade my sleeping pad, but was more looking into the Neoair Xlite so far, as people reported that the UberLite is very fragile.

In the end, UL packing lists end up quite similar, but still have a lot of individual choices. For example, I skip the alcohol stove and go for a small gas stove and choose to bring extra clothes to be on the safe side. I'm seriously impressed by your backpack and tent/ tarp weight. Inspiring! I take a bivy bag for weight reasons, but it's a compromise. A tent is much nicer.

And your Delta 100 is more lightweight than mine - mine is about 25g per roll The SWC is a very good choice for backpacking, I carried it for several trips. Reliable, amazing quality. When hiking, I use color film to save the filter weight.

A small update from my side: I now am familiarizing myself with the GFX50r + GF50mm. For four days of occassional shooting I need two batteries. The tripod remains to be a compromise. The Gitzo G0057 I use is quite low, but most of the times reasonably stable. With a lot of wind it's not sturdy enough.

Indeed UL gear lists can be similar yet uniqued based on each person's priorities. Like most folk, I've been refining mine over the last couple of years to reflect my needs and use cases. I tend to sleep a bit warm so my sleep system is based on a somewhat light sleeping quilt and I layer cloths as necessary for added warmth. And my tent and backpack have been stellar.

So far no issues with the Uberlite, other than it's small and not very luxurious.

I've done a number of trips with the SWC in the past. It's a touch wider than I usually prefer for landscapes but I love it for city architecture.I was ready to embrace the Fuji GF670W as my "perfect"backpacking camera but the two I tried to purchase weren't reliable and they aren't readily servicable.

I think the GFX50r would be a great choice, although I've never seen one in person. I have had a number of Fuji digital cameras in the past but like my personal work cameras to be more on the simple side which is why I'm more inspired by the X1D / 970x bodies. I have a Canon R5 system for work.

I'll be looking forward to your trip reports on the GFX, should be a great hiking companion.

Cheers, Bill

 

[dchew]

Wow! This is an excellent thread. And an effort I seem to get into at the beginning of every hiking season. I've backpacked with a few different systems but I think my favorite so far was the X1D and Xpan lenses. Recently I've been shooting more film so this year's setup in my Hassy 903 SWC.

View attachment 194903 View attachment 194904

Total weight is 6.4 lbs or 2.9 kg.

This setup includes the 903, 6 rolls of film, camera strap and 3 B60 filters, a cable release and camera strap. My tripod is a Gitzo GT0545TUS and the head is an RRS BPC-16 Micro Panning Ball Head. The bag / pouch / holster is a Hyperlite Mountain Gear Large Camera Pod. I also lean heavily on the ultralight backpacking crowd so I can cary better gear.

This is a reasonably accurate list of my backpacking gear for an upcoming 4 night trip to Stehekin. Doesn't include food or fuel. I need to add spare clothing to the list but I'm currently looking at 17 lbs and a bit less than 8 kg.

View attachment 194905

One of my inspirations for backpacking is photography so I kind of hate to sacrifice gear. I'll tough it out in other areas.

Thank you for posting! I need to look into that camera chest pouch. I have an old Clik pouch that I think is heavier than it needs to be, and my old Rowell Photoflex is getting worn out.
I’m inspired by the weight you guys have reached. I’m still carrying a full sleeping bag and Big Agnes tent. Not quite ready to convert to tarps and blanket + puffy coat.
I did try a bivy sac for a while. It worked fine until I had a miserable hot rainy night in the Sierras one trip. I never went back to the bivy. I’m still around 35 lbs for 4-nights.
Dave

 

[anyone]

I’m inspired by the weight you guys have reached. I’m still carrying a full sleeping bag and Big Agnes tent. Not quite ready to convert to tarps and blanket + puffy coat.
I did try a bivy sac for a while. It worked fine until I had a miserable hot rainy night in the Sierras one trip. I never went back to the bivy. I’m still around 35 lbs for 4-nights.
Dave

For now, I think I reached the maximum weight savings possible for me. New-to-me is now the sleeping pad - I went for the Neoair Xlite regular. I'm contemplating still to buy a quilt for warm nights, that would save me another 250g. Besides that, if I would continue optimization from this point, it would mean to invest a lot into really light weight gear.

My medium format kit is down to 1.9 kg thanks to the GFX50R + 50mm + small Gitzo tripod. In total I carry about 9.5 kg for four nights, including 1.5l of water which needs obviously refill every day, therefore I carry a water filter. For sleep, I mostly rely on shelters. Sleeping in the bivy bag alone in a wet night does not sound tempting, even though I could construct a cover for my head using the tripod and my rain jacket.